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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26051275">loyalty</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/YouAreMyDesign/pseuds/YouAreMyDesign'>YouAreMyDesign</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hannibal (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Bestiality, Blood Drinking, Blow Jobs, Bottom Randall Tier, Knotting, M/M, Mind Meld, Multi, No Underage Sex, Sentient Bestiality, Sex with Sentient Animals, Spitroasting, Top Hannibal Lecter, Vaginal Fingering, Vampire Bites, Vampire Will Graham, Werewolf Harem, Werewolf Randall Tier, Werewolf Sex, Young Hannibal Lecter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:07:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,818</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26051275</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/YouAreMyDesign/pseuds/YouAreMyDesign</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"I mean to serve your master."</p><p>Randall's head tilts. "Serve him," he repeats. "In what way?"</p><p>"Any way he will allow," Hannibal says, openly.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alana Bloom/Margot Verger, Alana Bloom/Will Graham, Hannibal Lecter/Randall Tier, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter, Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter/Randall Tier, Will Graham/Randall Tier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>129</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The scent of dog is particularly overwhelming this time of the month. There are packs of them that grow in number every season, and can be heard howling choruses to their master at night.</p><p>They are not evil, though those living here certainly have a healthy wariness for them. Evil is too nameless, too faceless, and lacking direction. The dogs – the wolves – protect the borders. They travel far and wide to be sure that the livestock are not harmed, working for the most benevolent shepherd in the widest field in the world.</p><p>Hannibal was born into one such bullpen, within the shadow of the castle. He grew up looking upon the tall spires at night, hoping to catch a glimpse of the master within. His wolves, plentiful as they are, are common sights around the borders of the town and within the sheep pens, and roaming the streets.</p><p>When Hannibal was a child, he would sit on the roof of his house after his parents thought he had gone to bed, and watch them. They are gigantic, hulking beasts, scarred, with thick fur. But they are impeccably groomed and well cared for, as well. Some of them, black as shadows, have golden eyes, some have red. A single one has eyes the color of mercury. He is not the largest but he is the one that leads the roaming packs, the one to whom the rest bow and serve.</p><p>It is that one, Hannibal knew, whom he must befriend.</p><p>So he did. On the eve of his fifteenth birthday he crept from his house with a thick roll of meat wrapped and tucked under his arm. He went to the edge of the town and crouched down, waiting for the wolves to arrive.</p><p>Above him, the moon had been full and shining brightly. Hannibal likes to imagine that the pale face within the high castle window had not been his imagination. He smelled the dogs, first; they came on the wind, the sight of them following swiftly after.</p><p>The leader, that mercury-eyed wolf, stopped, ears pricked forward. He walked with four others. Their muzzles twitched and there was the sound of a throaty rumble, that grew in pitch when Hannibal revealed himself at the entrance to the main road.</p><p>He knelt down and unwrapped the meat. It was enough to feed his family for almost a week, and he had known it would be less than a meal for all five of the giant wolves. But he offered it happily, stepping back as the leader stepped forward.</p><p>"Eat," he offered. "Eat and be well."</p><p>The leader cocked his head to one side and approached. He was not wary, there was certainly nothing to fear between the wolves and the men. They know and trust each other, the wolves are as much a given in this climate as the rainy season and the long winters.</p><p>This close, Hannibal could see that he was much smaller, closer to the size of a normal dog, and his fur was so sleek and soft-looking it appeared liquid. His coat, mostly black, had soft markings of lighter brown around his muzzle and ears and paws. His tail wagged, once, as he leaned in and sniffed at the offering of meat.</p><p>Hannibal knelt in front of him and offered his hand, making the wolf raise his head and peer at him with shining, intelligent eyes. Hannibal didn't waver with his gaze nor his outstretched hand. Finally, after a moment that felt like a lifetime, the wolf had huffed, and given him a grin, and put his muzzle in Hannibal's hand.</p><p>Hannibal had smiled, relieved that he had made a friend of this wolf. He cupped the wolf's delicate muzzle and his smile widened when he purred. "My name is Hannibal," he told the wolf, watching its ears go forward, attentive. "Will you tell your master my name? One day, I would like to meet him."</p><p>The wolf licked his nose in answer, huffing impatiently. Hannibal let him go, and moved back at a crouch so that the wolf had room to eat with his companions without Hannibal standing so tall over them. They finished the meal within a few bites, and the other four retreated, ready to make their rounds.</p><p>The leader, the one with mercury eyes, watched Hannibal a moment more, and then disappeared into the shadows. When Hannibal lifted his head, he saw a ghostly face within the tall tower window, before it quickly disappeared, fleeting as a blink.</p><p>But he knew he had seen it. He was smiling when he returned home.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Hannibal made sure to feed the mercury-eyed wolf every full moon during his teen years. His mother was furious with him, the first time, until she realized what Hannibal had done – what his intentions were. As long as Hannibal didn't include Mischa in his games, and as long as he didn't take too much to feed the wolves, and as long as his father never found out, he had her permission.</p><p>And so, as he turns twenty-one and readies himself to leave his homestead and journey out into the great wide world, as is custom for all young ones when they reach maturity, to avoid inbreeding within the towns, he knows exactly where he is going to go.</p><p>He shoulders his pack and bids loving farewell to his parents, and his sister, before he starts upon the main road and heads out, towards the castle.</p><p>The daunting size upon the high mountain makes the castle look much closer than it is. In reality, it is a three day journey. The wolves can travel swiftly, but Hannibal is merely human, and has no horse nor two additional legs to quicken his pace.</p><p>As the sun is setting, he comes across a small group of trees that will provide him shelter. There is a large boulder, in the center of the semi-circle of trees, in clear view from the path. With the wolves around, he need not fear vagrants or bandits. The master's justice is swift and merciless to those who would dare harm his beloved flock.</p><p>There is a man, sitting upon the stone, his bare feet suspended over the happy lick of an open campfire. He is dressed plainly, though his clothes are of better making than Hannibal's, and has short brown hair and the build of a young one, a soft-bodied and sweet boy that might be more at home in a tavern beneath a table, earning his keep with his mouth or hands.</p><p>He looks up, as Hannibal approaches. "Will you share your fire, friend?" Hannibal asks. "Or should I be on my way?"</p><p>The man grins at him, and his eyes shine with warmth. "Nonsense," he replies, and gestures for Hannibal to sit upon the grass. "What's mine is yours, Hannibal."</p><p>Hannibal blinks at him, startled. "You know my name," he says, as he sits. "Forgive me; I don't recognize you."</p><p>"Of course you don't," the man replies with a laugh. "You know me more as a four-legged beast, black as shadow. You have fed me often."</p><p>Hannibal stares, in shock, and then in recognition when he sees a subtle metallic sheen in the man's eyes, once he is close enough. "What is your name, Silver Eyes?" he asks.</p><p>"Randall," the man replies, with another laugh. He slides down from the boulder and presses himself close to Hannibal's side, and he is warm, his hands strong as they worm their way under Hannibal's cloak, and his shirt, until he can touch soft skin. His chin rests on Hannibal's shoulder. It is not unlike how a puppy might launch itself upon its friend, asking for play. He nudges Hannibal's cheek with his nose and bites at the ends of his hair. "Have you come to play, Hannibal?"</p><p>"I've come to do more than that," Hannibal replies with a smile, as Randall slides off him like water and prowls around on his hands and the balls of his feet, crouching by the fire. "I mean to serve your master."</p><p>Randall's head tilts. "Serve him," he repeats. "In what way?"</p><p>"Any way he will allow," Hannibal says, openly.</p><p>"I think he knows," Randall says slowly. "He bid me meet you. He remembers you, from all those years ago, when you first fed me, and all the moons since." He smiles. "I'm rather fond of you myself. You have a wolf's heart."</p><p>"But not a wolf's fur," Hannibal laughs, drawing his cloak tighter around himself. "The night grows cold."</p><p>"That is easily fixed," Randall replies with a wide, boyish smile. He stands, and sheds his clothes without flare or sense of modesty. A moment later, his bones crack and shift, and hair grows from every inch of exposed skin. His spine elongates and bows, and he goes to his hands and knees, sharp teeth emerging from his jaws with a river of blood. He shakes himself out as he shifts, and becomes the sleek mercury-eyed wolf.</p><p>Hannibal lifts a hand to spare his face from the blood and sticky flesh that melts from Randall's fur like rain. The wolf finishes with a grunt and final flick of his tail, and then turns and presses himself up against Hannibal again. Instantly, Hannibal feels much warmer, the wolf's body heat radiating twice as strong as the fire.</p><p>He sighs, and rests his cheek in the thick fur on Randall's neck. "Thank you, friend," he says, closing his eyes, as Randall curls around him protectively, and licks at his hand. "Though I must admit the conversation will be one-sided, now."</p><p>Randall huffs, flank heaving with laughter. His tail wags, once, a heavy thump against the ground.</p><p>Hannibal rests the back of his head on the wolf's powerful shoulder, gazing up at the dark reaches of the castle. He knows he is closer than he was that morning, but still, it has grown no larger, and is still so far away.</p><p>He tilts his head so he can see the wolf's face. Randall's eyes are on the castle as well, ears lax, eyelids drooping. Hannibal wonders if the change is tiresome, or if it is as natural as shedding clothes from the day. Which form, he wonders, is the one Randall finds most comfortable?</p><p>"Randall," he murmurs, and the wolf's ears twitch back, attentive. "Are there only wolves in the castle?"</p><p>Randall lifts his head just enough to nod.</p><p>"Will the master change me, then?"</p><p>Randall looks at him, those lovely mercury eyes dark. "Too complicated an answer, I suppose," Hannibal says with a smile. Randall huffs, and grins at him, baring all of his sharp teeth. Hannibal reaches into his travelling bag, pulling out an evening's rations, which consists of bread and salted meat. He offers the meat to the wolf, who takes it with another pleased rumble and a single wag of his tail. "Will you walk with me, tomorrow, and answer my questions then?"</p><p>Randall nods.</p><p>Hannibal settles against him, warmed by the wolf's body heat and the heat of the fire. He eats his meal and closes his eyes, content with the knowledge that, with the master's favorite wolf by his side, he is likely the safest man in the land, at this moment.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Dawn comes with the scent of old fire and ash, and Hannibal stirs as Randall rises. He cracks his eyes open to see the wolf shifting back to his human shape, which comes more like he is peeling himself free of a perfectly made suit. His arms crack through the wolf's paws and he claws at the rest of his flesh, pulling it from him until human skin is revealed.</p><p>When it's done, he spits out a mouthful of teeth. Hannibal sits up, and reaches for them, admiring their curvature and sharpness. He pockets them without a word, as Randall puts his clothes back on and stretches on his hands and knees, spine popping in a series of sharp cracks.</p><p>Then, he rises, and grins at Hannibal, holding out his hand. "Shall we go?" he asks.</p><p>Hannibal takes his hand and lets Randall pull him to his feet, and they fall back onto the path together, which winds through the trees at the base of the mountain, and up, to where the castle sits.</p><p>"Can you answer my question now?" Hannibal asks, after they have been walking together for a while.</p><p>Randall hums, scratching errantly at the blood sticking to the nape of his neck. He peels a spare piece of wolfskin free and flicks it away. "We all serve the master," he explains. "We guard his people, and hunt for him, and provide him with companionship."</p><p>"How many wolves does he have?" Hannibal asks, wide-eyed.</p><p>"Our pack is close to three hundred, now," Randall replies, and Hannibal's eyes widen further. "But only a dozen live in the castle permanently. Others are amongst the people, in the far reaches." He grins at Hannibal. "Your blacksmith is one."</p><p>Hannibal frowns, tilting his head. He supposes that explains the odd scent on the man, and his absences during the full moon. Hannibal never thought that there would be a native among them.</p><p>"You live in the castle?" he guesses.</p><p>Randall nods. He presses his lips together, and fixes Hannibal with a serious expression. "What do you know of the master, Hannibal?" he asks.</p><p>"I know that he is a creature that has lived for far longer than any of my ancestors," Hannibal replies. "I've heard many things – that he feasts on human blood and flesh, but that he does not kill the undeserving. That he is fair, and wise, and when he came here, he drove out the other monsters and loosed his pack of wolves upon the land to guard his sheep."</p><p>Randall smiles. "A fair description," he concedes. "I believe the most modern name for what he is, is 'Vampire'. Do you know what that is?"</p><p>Hannibal nods.</p><p>"It is why so many of us live with him," Randall adds. "We offer our blood and our service, knowing that should any of us come to harm, he will defend us." He pauses, and shivers, his eyes flashing with another brief sheen of metal. "A wolf's loyalty is hard to win, even harder to maintain, but I would follow him to the ends of the earth."</p><p>"How long have you served him?"</p><p>"Longer than your grandfather has been alive, I should think," Randall says, smiling.</p><p>"You look so young," Hannibal marvels.</p><p>"And yet." Randall runs his hands through his hair again, shoulders rolling. "You must understand, Hannibal – you are not the first human to offer their service to the master. But there are trials. You will be tested." He looks at Hannibal again, expression serious. "Failure can mean many things. But not death. He would want you to know that."</p><p>Hannibal tilts his head.</p><p>Randall makes a sound, a quiet rumble that is almost sheepish. "What do you know of wolves?"</p><p>"Almost nothing," Hannibal admits, shaking his head. "Only that they are strong, and the older ones can shift outside of the moon." He smiles. "And that they are rather fond of young men who offer them food."</p><p>Randall laughs, and nudges their shoulders together. They reach the tree line, and the path veers up sharply. Hannibal's thighs soon start to burn from the climb. "There are some that are born," he says, "others, made. They are turned with a bite."</p><p>Hannibal recalls that information, dimly. But it's never happened, at least not in recent memory for his village. All of the master's creatures are very well behaved. He checks, as coyly as he can, for a telltale bite on Randall's neck, but finds none. Perhaps he is a pureblood.</p><p>"It is the master's law that anyone who wishes to serve him be bitten, if they are not a wolf by blood," Randall continues. His voice has gone quiet, and solemn. Hannibal pauses, at that, drawing to a halt. Randall stops as well, and turns to look at him.</p><p>He sighs. "If you wish to change your mind, you may, and fear no consequence."</p><p>"It's not that," Hannibal replies, shaking his head. "Merely…. I'm confused. If the master wants me to join his pack, I will, happily, for I want to serve him in whatever way he desires." Randall's lips twitch at the corners. "But I imagined my role in his service would be more…personal."</p><p>Randall's eyes flash. "Is being a wolf not personal?" he asks, sounding genuinely curious.</p><p>Hannibal sighs. "I feel like I have loved him all my life," he says. "Granted, I know it's short, barely a blink for a creature like him. But I would have rather been at his side for the rest of it, not one of the wolves he sends away."</p><p>Randall considers him, for a long moment. "Being a wolf doesn't mean not being by his side," he says quietly. "I have offered him my neck more times than I can count. I have…loved him, in the way I think you mean to love him."</p><p>Hannibal blushes, but cannot deny it.</p><p>Randall's eyes brighten. Perhaps he can smell the shift in emotion on Hannibal as well. "Ah," he purrs, dark eyes gleaming. "I see. <em>Personal</em>."</p><p>"If he desires that of me."</p><p>"Hannibal," Randall murmurs, stepping close to him. He touches Hannibal's face, forcing their eyes to meet. It is strange, Hannibal thinks, to hold eye contact with a wolf, knowing what it means to be the one to break it first. "The master <em>prefers </em>the company of wolves." His voice is heavy with meaning. Hannibal frowns. "More than that of <em>men</em>."</p><p>Hannibal's eyes widen in understanding. "<em>Oh</em>."</p><p>"But it's not just that," Randall continues. "To serve him, you must have the bite. But to be a wolf means serving the pack. Obeying the master, yes, but also the wolf that turned you." Randall tilts his head, eyes lifting. He looks like he's trying to figure out how to explain himself properly. "It's…a difficult compulsion to overcome. And if you can, then that means you have more free will, and come to him eagerly."</p><p>Hannibal sighs. "I don't know if I understand," he admits.</p><p>Randall nods, his gaze sympathetic. "I'll try to explain," he says, taking Hannibal's hand and resuming their walk. "Do you have siblings?"</p><p>"I do," Hannibal says, "a younger sister."</p><p>"And a mother and father, I presume."</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"And as much as you love your sister, you obey your parents, ultimately, if they gave an order that went against her wishes."</p><p>Hannibal presses his lips together, thinking of how often he has snuck Mischa an extra dessert, or stolen her from her lessons so they can go hunting for butterflies in the woods. But he says, "Yes, I suppose."</p><p>"So, in this instance, let's say that the bite made you rabidly loyal to your sister. You would do anything for her, and obey her every wish without question. It would be impossible otherwise, even if your father or mother went against her."</p><p>Hannibal frowns, and nods.</p><p>"That is what the bite does. And the master, is like your parents. If you can overcome your loyalty to your sister, then you prove that you can remain loyal to your parents. But if you don't, you still have the love and companionship of your sibling." Randall looks at him. "Does that make sense?"</p><p>"It is a test," Hannibal says, "to see if I am a more loyal a son, or a brother."</p><p>"Exactly," Randall replies with a smile. "And many wolves cannot overcome that. But it doesn't mean your father will love you any less. Simply, that you are more loyal to your sibling. That is why the master commands all servants be bitten, so that he knows, ultimately, where your loyalties lie."</p><p>"Have any overcome it?" Hannibal breathes.</p><p>Randall grins, and winks at him.</p><p>"So you serve the master, as I mean to," Hannibal says.</p><p>"I do," Randall replies happily. "I warm his bed whenever he calls for me."</p><p>Hannibal swallows, biting his lower lip, "And it doesn't bother you, that I mean to challenge your status?"</p><p>Randall laughs. "A father can love more than one child, Hannibal," he says with a winning smile. "I am not concerned. If I might speak plainly; the master is an insatiable man. I could use the help."</p><p>Hannibal's blush darkens, and he laughs to himself. "I will not fail," he promises. A wedding vow.</p><p>Randall merely squeezes his hand, still smiling.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It takes another day's journey, and on the third morning, Hannibal is greeted by the castle gates. They are large and imposing, made of solid black rock carved from the heart of the mountain. Still, the sight of it does not fill him with fear. Neither do the eyes of the wolves that watch him, when Randall pushes open the gates, and lets him inside. Hannibal can see half a dozen in the courtyard, sunning themselves or chattering to each other in rough growls and nuzzles, all in myriad shades of black and silver.</p><p>The air is frightfully cold, and the wind is strong, billowing his cloak behind him no matter how much he pulls at it. He looks up, and sees that ghostly face in one of the windows, watching him with a curious tilt to his head. The master.</p><p>His power settles over Hannibal's shoulders, and Hannibal follows Randall blindly as the wolf takes his hand and leads him up to the main doors. They are smaller, and even have a separate flap carved out of lambskin where animals might come and go. He smiles at the sight of it.</p><p>A taller wolf, one Hannibal recognizes as travelling with Randall often, sidles up to them as they enter. She's a female, delicate boned and sleek, her fur soft and the vaguely silvery color of moonlight on water. Her eyes, a brilliant glassy blue, gaze up at Hannibal with sharp intelligence.</p><p>Randall kneels before her, cupping her face. "Hannibal has finally come to us," he whispers. She wags her tail, grinning. "Where shall we meet him?"</p><p>She woofs, quietly, and Randall releases her. She darts off to one side of the vast, grand entrance, which is a sea of cold white marble and more black stone, barren of rugs or tapestries. There is no adornment here, for the size alone is impressive enough. Randall smiles, and follows her, Hannibal trailing along behind.</p><p>He is led to a room like that of a great lord. There is a single wooden chair at one end, and a giant hearth blazing with warm fire, coloring the stone in golden hues that dance along the hairs of skins covering the ground. There is those of wolves, and bears, and hunting cats, as well as monsters Hannibal has only ever heard about in legends.</p><p>A skull sits beside the chair, large and foreboding. It is that of a dragon, pale with age, with teeth long as Hannibal's forearm and giant hollows in its eyes.</p><p>The female wolf leaves them, then, and Randall guides Hannibal up to the chair. He takes Hannibal's cloak, and bag, and Hannibal feels suddenly so much less well prepared for finally meeting the master. He shivers, despite the heat of the fire, and tries to quell his nerves.</p><p>The master is gentle, and fair, and kind. Hannibal knows this. In all his life and all the stories, there has never been a single one painting him as cruel or savage. He has no need for it, with so many loyal subjects.</p><p>Still, Hannibal's heart races.</p><p>Randall nuzzles him, startling him from his thoughts. "You needn't be afraid," he says with a warm smile.</p><p>"I know," Hannibal replies, "and yet, I am. Sick with the fear of failure."</p><p>Randall nods, his eyes dark with understanding. "I was the same, when I came to him in your position," he says, quietly, voice lost to memory. He touches Hannibal's shoulder lightly. "I must leave you now. But I cannot wait to call you brother, Hannibal. Good luck."</p><p>With that, he leaves, taking Hannibal's things with him. Hannibal watches him go, and bites his lower lip, unsure what to do with himself. The master hasn't appeared yet, and Hannibal doesn't know how long he will be made to wait.</p><p>He walks, to work out some of his nerves. Gravitates, first, to the fire, letting it warm his hands. And then, to the furs covering the floor. The largest one must have belonged to a creature Hannibal has never seen before, for he doesn't recognize the coloring or the feel of it, and cannot ever recall seeing a creature with six legs.</p><p>His eyes lift to the skull. He approaches it, hands shaking as he reaches and rests his palm against the dragon's large teeth. They are smooth to the touch, not at all like he expected bone to feel, though he has nothing to compare it to. He runs his fingers up the tooth, to where it is embedded in the jawline. He cradles the muzzle in his hands, testing the inward curve of the nose with his thumbs. It is large enough that Hannibal could climb inside it and curl up for the night. His eyes, locked on the black stare of the creature, feel heavy as he tenderly touches the dragon's cheekbones, his terrible smile, his large straight horns.</p><p>"He's beautiful, isn't he?"</p><p>Hannibal doesn't physically jump, but his heart leaps at the sudden voice. He turns, and audibly gasps.</p><p>The master.</p><p>He's <em>beautiful</em>. His face, resembling a man the age of Hannibal's father, could have been carved from the same marble as the floor. He has some hair along his cheeks and jaw, a fine covering of dark shadow that matches the wild curls atop his head. His eyes are brilliant, not quite all-blue, shades of green and gold within them that makes Hannibal think of treasure buried at sea. His nose is not quite straight, a subtle imperfection that merely highlights the rest of his features. He's lean and looks strong despite his relative skinniness.</p><p>He smiles, pale lips quirking, cheeks dimpling, and Hannibal's entire body grows warm.</p><p>"He is," Hannibal rasps, taking his hands away. He dips his head. "Forgive me."</p><p>"If I didn't want him to be touched, I wouldn't have put him here," the master replies. He walks towards Hannibal, glowing in the light of the fire. He does not move with the supernatural haste Hannibal knows he must possess. When he comes close, the scent of wolf, of stone, of blood and wild air, fills his lungs to bursting.</p><p>Hannibal can merely stare, cursing himself for waiting so long to come here. He could have been gazing upon such beauty for years if he had only -.</p><p>The master's hand rises, cutting Hannibal's thoughts short. His fingertips, light as a feather, touch the flush on Hannibal's cheek. Dip down, to his racing heart. He's cool to the touch, but not the frigid, unwelcome chill of a corpse.</p><p>His head tilts. "Your fear tastes like excitement."</p><p>"I've wanted to be here for as long as I can remember," Hannibal replies.</p><p>He smiles, at that. "I know," he whispers, his hand falling away. Hannibal swallows so that he doesn't make a sound. "Do you even know my name?"</p><p>"No," Hannibal says.</p><p>He smiles. "It's Will."</p><p>"Will." Hannibal savors it; to finally know the master's name feels like a great honor, though he's sure it was never a secret. He takes Will's hand, and Will blinks, as though surprised. "I've come here, after many years living in your castle's shadow. To serve you, in whatever way you will allow."</p><p>Will's head tilts. "That's a heavy offer," he murmurs. "Serving me is not like serving a mortal man, Hannibal."</p><p>The sound of his own name, purred from Will's chest, makes him feel warm all over. "I know that," Hannibal says. He wants Will's hand back on him, the paltry contact of Will's palm in Hannibal's hand seems like so little. "Randall told me what I must do. I want to, to prove myself to you."</p><p>Will's eyes darken. It makes the gold in them shine even more brilliantly. "If you know what you must do, then I suppose there's no use in warning you," he says, smiling. "But first, you will sit." He nods to the chair.</p><p>Hannibal's brow creases.</p><p>"I use all the wolves in my service, Hannibal," Will says, arching a brow. "I don't keep bad meat. It stinks up the place. If you want to serve me, I must first test your quality."</p><p>Hannibal nods, turning and approaching the chair. "Will it hurt?"</p><p>"No," Will assures him. He touches Hannibal's shoulder, more gently than a summer breeze. "No, sweet boy, it won't hurt. But it might be uncomfortable, when I first enter your mind." Hannibal frowns again, even as he sits, gazing up at Will. Will smiles. "Randall didn't explain that, did he? You know what I am." Hannibal nods.</p><p>Will comes to him, at the corner of the chair. He leans down and touches Hannibal's chin, fingers cool and gentle, but Hannibal can feel the strength in them. "My venom will open your mind to me," he says. "And I will look, peruse as I see fit, so I can deem you suitable for my service."</p><p>He pauses, and tilts his head. "If you wish to leave, and go home, then you may. I won't be angry."</p><p>No, Hannibal cannot possibly back out now. And he has nothing to hide. His love for Will is pure, his desire to serve genuine. He reaches up, and cradles Will's wrist, and angles his head to expose the arch of his neck.</p><p>Will lets out a sound, animal and low. He pulls the collar of Hannibal's shirt to one side, and slides closer, his knee between Hannibal's thighs on the seat of the chair, his other hand releasing Hannibal's chin so he can grip the back of it.</p><p>He settles, over one of Hannibal's legs, and without thinking, Hannibal grips his hips to keep him steady. Will smiles against his throat, and Hannibal feels his tongue, first. It's wet, and cool, and makes him shiver down to his toes.</p><p>Then, Will's teeth.</p><p>They are sharp and skilled and, no, there is no pain, as Will lets out another hungry noise and bites down on Hannibal's pulse. Hannibal gasps, eyes closing as a sensation, indescribable and foreign, overwhelms him. It is like slipping into a warm bath after a long day of labor. It is the first refreshing downpour in the height of summer. It is the heaviness of muscles after a powerful orgasm, and leaves him breathless.</p><p>Will growls, cupping the back of his neck, keeping him still as he drinks. Will's teeth lock, and Hannibal thinks he can feel the injection of icy venom. It curls around his heart and travels up to his head like a probing finger. Hannibal feels Will, in his mind, poking around his innermost thoughts with the air of a curious animal.</p><p>But more than that, pleasure. Perhaps it is some evolutionary tactic for a creature like Will, to keep his prey docile while he drinks them dry. Perhaps it is because Hannibal has loved him for so long that the intrusion of Will in his mind is like second nature. He cannot say, but he welcomes Will eagerly, and clings to him with a frantic, desperate sound, his stomach tensing and his thighs shivering, tightening with pleasure.</p><p>Will doesn't withdraw his teeth, doesn't speak, but Hannibal hears his voice in his head nonetheless; <em>Oh, divine</em>, it whispers. <em>You taste like an animal.</em></p><p>Hannibal feels like one. It comes in flashes. Warm meat in his hands, offered to the wolves. Staring up through the night sky to Will's face, gazing back at him like a gentle god. Aching, the ache. The nights Hannibal put a hand on himself and thought about how it would feel to be on his knees for the master. The brush of Randall's thick fur against his cheek. The roar of the fire.</p><p><em>Hush, sweet thing, </em>Will coaxes, his hand slipping to the side of Hannibal's neck as Hannibal whines, his grip failing as Will drinks more from him. <em>Don't be afraid.</em></p><p>He's not afraid. He feels <em>alive</em>. He wants to do this for the rest of his life.</p><p>Will's laughter is like music in his head, and finally, the master withdraws his teeth, licking over the little puncture wounds, a single shot of venom letting them heal so Hannibal doesn't continue to lose blood. There's a smear of it on his lips when he pulls back, and Hannibal gazes up at him, vision hazy, lost in the satisfied glow of Will's eyes.</p><p>Will cups his face, and smiles brightly. "Yes," he purrs. "I think I'll keep you."</p><p>"Forever?" Hannibal breathes. Begs.</p><p>"And a day," Will replies, laughing. He leans in and nudges their foreheads together, and Hannibal can't help himself – he lunges forward, kissing Will brazen and fumbling. He's never kissed before, and he's sure Will can tell, but Will laughs and cups the back of his neck, letting Hannibal lick into his mouth, tasting his own blood, more of Will's venom. His tongue gets cut on Will's sharp fangs and he moans when Will sucks on his tongue.</p><p>"Your devotion is…astounding," Will breathes when the kiss ends. "I haven't seen anything like it in decades."</p><p>Hannibal smiles, glad to have earned Will's favor.</p><p>"I think I'll have Randall bite you," Will muses, tilting his head. "He already cares for you a great deal, and if you love him more than me, at least I will not be too far removed."</p><p>"Will, I know that there's…a chance," Hannibal rasps, "but I can't imagine a version of me that doesn't love you above all else."</p><p>Will smiles, and kisses his forehead. "We'll see," he murmurs to Hannibal's flushed skin. He rises, and Hannibal moans weakly as he suddenly loses the pressure of Will's knee between his legs, the weight of him on Hannibal's lap. He almost collapses to his knees when he tries to stand, and Will catches him, helping him upright.</p><p>"Rest," he purrs, pushing Hannibal's hair from his face. "Come."</p><p>He takes Hannibal's hands and leads him to the fire, laying him out on one of the soft, thick furs. Will crouches beside him, and kisses his hair, his hands affectionate and gentle on Hannibal's shoulders. "Sleep," he coaxes. "When you wake, you will go through the change, and be mine."</p><p>"I'm already yours," Hannibal says quietly.</p><p>Will smiles at him, his eyes dark. His lips are red, his cheeks colored with a delicate blush as Hannibal's blood fills and warms him. Will cups his face and kisses him deeply, sending more tremors through Hannibal's body. He aches, and wants to touch himself, to have Will's kiss lingering on his mouth when he comes, but he is weak, and can't get his hands to move.</p><p>"You will sleep here," Will commands. Hannibal nods, more than content with the fire's warmth and the fur, soft as clouds beneath his cheek. Will smiles. "I will come for you when it's time."</p><p>Hannibal smiles, and nods. He's exhausted, from the journey and from feeding Will. He closes his eyes and settles against the fur, curling up on his side. He doesn't hear Will leave, but he didn't hear Will arrive, either, and imagines his master gliding through the halls of his grand castle, tending to his wolves and making sure all are safe within his domain.</p><p>He dreams of cool skin and fangs, and is smiling when he falls asleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hannibal wakes to the sound of a soft whine. He turns, feeling fire warm on his face, still blazing as bright and strong as it had been when he went to sleep. He rolls onto his other side so the fire is at his back, and opens his eyes.</p><p>Will is there, with Randall, recognizable by his brilliant metallic eyes. Will sits with him, beside his throne, not upon it, his hands in the wolf's soft fur and teeth in his neck as he drinks, eyes closed. Randall lays across his legs, panting, tail wagging slowly back and forth across the stone ground.</p><p>Randall's ear flicks his way, and Will opens his eyes as the wolf whines again. He pulls back, mouth slick with blood, and smiles at Hannibal as Randall rises, and curls up at Will's side. Hannibal pushes himself upright, wincing and putting a hand to his forehead as a wave of dizziness overtakes him, from losing so much blood the day before.</p><p>"Hannibal," Will calls. "Come to me, sweetheart."</p><p>Hannibal forces himself to rise on shaky legs, walking over to Will. He kneels on his other side and Will cups his face, kissing him deeply. The taste of Randall's blood is still thick on his tongue, but Hannibal doesn't mind it. He is no stranger to blood in the life of a farmer, and the feeling of his lips on Will's is worth any number of discomforts. The master kisses like a benevolent god, his hands gentle on Hannibal's face, fingers lightly tracing the pinpricks he left on Hannibal's neck.</p><p>"How are you feeling?" Will asks when they part.</p><p>"As though I've died and reached the promised land," Hannibal replies.</p><p>Will laughs, at that, dimples in the light blush on his cheeks as he smiles. Randall laps at Will's shoulder, rumbling deep in his chest as Will tilts his head and nuzzles his favorite wolf's muzzle.</p><p>The doors open on the other end, and a woman enters. She's slim and pale, with dark hair falling around her shoulders in loose waves, her eyes a brilliant icy blue. She carries a bag in her hands, and comes to Will, handing it to him. Will smiles, and she sits at his feet and tilts her head into his petting hand, sighing happily. She's a wolf, Hannibal knows enough now to know that, and imagines her tail wagging as Hannibal pets her. Randall licks her cheek and she shivers, grinning widely.</p><p>"Thank you, Alana," Will murmurs, and kisses her forehead. He turns to Hannibal and opens the bag, pulling out a large piece of cooked meat, and some bread, and a waterskin. He hands them to Hannibal. "Eat, drink. You need your strength."</p><p>Hannibal nods, sitting and eagerly consuming the food. A moment later, Alana shivers, whining softly. Will's attention snaps to her immediately, his brow creasing. "Oh, darling," he drawls, pushing her hair back from her face. His nostrils flare as she paws at him, climbing up his legs to settle over his lap. "You're in heat, aren't you? Where is your mate?"</p><p>"In the far reaches," Alana replies. "She left last moon and hasn't returned."</p><p>Will's expression softens, sympathy in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he says, and sounds genuinely sad. He kisses Alana, then, rubbing his hands down her bare back. Alana whines again, burying her face in Will's neck, clinging to his strong arms as he pushes his fingers inside her, curling them and rubbing where she's pink and slick. Hannibal can smell her arousal, the same his mother sometimes had the nights before his father laid with her. It makes Hannibal feel warm when he smells it, when he watches as Will touches her and soothes her as she ruts mindlessly against his hand. She cries out, tensing, her thighs tightening around his hips as Will brings her to orgasm with a fond, loving smile. He kisses her forehead and holds her through it, withdrawing his fingers which are now shining with slick. Randall licks them clean.</p><p>"You may go to her, if you can make the journey," Will whispers. "I can spare you for a few days."</p><p>Alana shivers, and pulls back, smiling widely. Hannibal can tell that she, like Randall, adores her master. "Thank you, Will," she says, and stands. Will smiles at her, and leans forward to kiss her stomach, before she turns and leaps into her wolf shape, which Hannibal abruptly recognizes as the tall, sleek female that had first greeted him when he and Randall arrived here last night.</p><p>She darts from the hall, as Hannibal finishes his meal. Will sighs, turning and kissing the side of Randall's soft muzzle as Randall finishes licking his fingers clean. He cups Randall's face with a gentle hand, eyes closed.</p><p>Hannibal finishes with the water, though it does nothing to help with his thirst. He sets everything, bag included, out of the way, and Will turns and smiles at him. "Are you ready, Hannibal?"</p><p>"Yes," he says. "Tell me what I must do."</p><p>Will's eyes darken. "Take off your clothes," he commands. "You will have no use for them, after."</p><p>Hannibal nods, and stands. He pulls his clothes from his body with no hesitation, feeling neither modest nor shy. The wolves here clearly have no need for clothes, Will being the only one he has seen who wears them at all, and he blushes when Will's eyes darken further, flashing with hunger as Hannibal exposes his body.</p><p>He's still lean with youth, tall and muscled as one must be as a farmer's son. He must, of course, be able to wrestle and chase animals, and slaughter them as needed. He doesn't know if Randall's wolf nature slows his aging or has stopped it completely, for Randall still has the body of a young man despite having served Will for so many years, but if this body is the one he will wear for the rest of his life, then it's a good one to have.</p><p>"Beautiful," Will breathes, and beckons him close. Hannibal comes, and takes Will's hand, sitting on Will's lap as Alana did moments before. Will's hands are cool and greedy as they map Hannibal's body, making him shiver.</p><p>Randall rises to his feet, panting. He licks Hannibal's shoulder, around his back, to the nape of his neck, and Hannibal's lashes flutter. He swallows, preparing for the bite.</p><p>Will grips his chin. "You must only do one thing," he says, tone serious. Hannibal presses his lips together and nods. "Follow your instincts. The change is violent and manifests in different ways for every wolf. Do what you desire; you need not fear my wrath. Your test of loyalty will come after."</p><p>Hannibal swallows. He doesn't know how he will react, and a small flicker of anxiety settles in his skull. Will smiles, and kisses him deeply, cupping his face with gentle hands.</p><p>"You are already mine," he promises. "Embrace that wolf's heart I see in you, Hannibal. You're going to be magnificent."</p><p>With that, he pushes Hannibal back, into the bowl of Randall's embrace, and pushes himself up onto his throne, out of the way. His eyes are ravenous, eager, his mouth still clinging red. He sits forward, elbows on his knees.</p><p>Hannibal bows his head, and braces himself on his hands and knees as Randall rumbles in anticipation. He licks the nape of Hannibal's neck, nosing his hair out of the way, and Hannibal shivers, sweat gathering at the base of his spine where Randall's warm fur radiates heat.</p><p>"I'm ready," he whispers.</p><p>Randall purrs, and nuzzles Hannibal's shoulder. He parts his jaws, sets his teeth delicately on either side of Hannibal's neck, and bites down.</p><p>Hannibal feels blood welling up hot on his neck, dripping down his shoulders and chest. He winces in pain, though it's not as painful as he imagined it would be. Like with Will's bite, he feels something that might be Randall's consciousness on the edges of his mind, sweeping up his spine and cupping the base of his skull like a warm hand.</p><p>It is not a probing finger, seeking his thoughts without direction. Rather, he feels as though fingers have laced with his, and he is being pulled along to a place dark and wild. The place where monsters are born.</p><p>Then, suddenly, the sensation of falling, as he sinks to his elbows and moans. Randall snarls in his head, ringing in his ears, the little black wolf bracing himself over Hannibal's body. He's warm all over, fur sticking to his back and clinging to his shoulders as Randall's forelegs plant on either side of his head. Hannibal bows further, seeking the cool floor against his fevered skin.</p><p>He shudders, as Randall stops biting down, merely holds him and hobbles him. He feels like they're waiting for something.</p><p>It starts as an itch under his skin, an insect bite he wants to pick at as the venom blooms and turns his skin pink. Hannibal lets out a weak, ragged noise, and bites down on his wrist, his teeth dragging along the source of the itch.</p><p>He gasps, surprised, when his flesh melts without much effort at all, and he sees the first hint of fur. It's slick and reddened with blood so he can't tell its true color, but the relief of peeling his skin back soothes the itch, until it manifests again, higher on his arm. He bites a second time, peeling more human flesh back, and again, and again. He claws his fingers against the floor and feels them give, nails becoming claws, fingers shortening and fattening into those of a wolf's paw.</p><p>Randall withdraws his teeth with a victorious snarl, and bites Hannibal's back, helping him as his bones begin to crack and shift. There's a terrible itch at his tailbone, which makes him whimper until Randall licks over it.</p><p>"<em>Please</em>," he whispers, and yells when Randall bites, a forceful tug, and Hannibal feels that last bone extend, becoming the beginnings of his tail. His hips crack with a loud noise and his knees fall the wrong way, making him flatten to the floor and writhe, seeking relief for that terrible itch, that blooms like bruising all along his body.</p><p>He claws at his face when his jaw starts to grow, pain making him grunt and howl as his teeth are pushed out. He coughs, swallowing some of them, and the rest drip in a chunky, bloody mess from his muzzle as his wolf teeth fight their way through and settle in place with a series of rough clicks. He closes his eyes, feeling the hair on his head and chest melt and merge with the expanding barrel of his ribs, growing more circular in a wolf's shape, compensating for his rising and widening ears as they grow pointed and long on top of his head.</p><p>He howls when Randall tugs his tail free, shuddering. The feeling of fingers between his own is still there, tugging him along like an eager child wanting to show him something. Like Mischa when she would go chasing butterflies.</p><p>Of course, he is becoming a brother to the wolves, now. Rapidly loyal to Randall, who bit him.</p><p>And yet, when he lifts his head, and sees Will still staring, smiling, eyes dark with awe, he feels a punch in his chest like a stone, and whines.</p><p>Will smiles gently. "The first change is worse than the rest," he assures Hannibal. "They won't all be this bad."</p><p>He knows that. Randall and Alana shifted forms seamlessly, after all.</p><p>Hannibal manages to get his feet under him, wincing as his backward-facing knees take some getting used to. His paws register the coolness of the floor absently, how slick it is, how bloody the air smells. He breathes in raggedly, dripping blood from his jaws, and shakes himself off in an instinct he cannot fight.</p><p>The last of his human skin falls off him like melting ice, and he takes a deep, ragged breath, and <em>snarls</em>.</p><p>Randall echoes him, rubbing against his flank. Hannibal can smell him, not just as he did as a man, but as a wolf now, too; rough stone and cool dirt, wildness and <em>wolf</em>, blood and bone and Will on top of him. He snaps his teeth together, grinding them, muzzle wrinkling in another snarl that Randall answers with a grin of his own.</p><p>He lunges for Randall, sending them rolling around in the mess. Randall laughs, rough and low. He cannot hear the other wolf's thoughts in his head, but echoes and pangs of sensation and thought, like the whisper of wind. He feels Randall's joy, his pleasure, his satisfaction.</p><p>On the heels of it, desire.</p><p>Randall pins him on his side, for Hannibal is still uncoordinated and young, untried as a wolf. He nuzzles Hannibal's cheek, behind his ear, into the thick scruff of his fur, tail wagging wildly. Pleasure pulses at Hannibal like a voice too far away to hear exact words, but the tone is unmistakable.</p><p>Hannibal feels a purr rumbling in his chest, his tail wagging in answer.</p><p>Will's laugh is soft and overjoyed. "My beautiful boys," he purrs, standing. He kneels before them, touching Hannibal's muzzle with one hand, Randall's with the other. Randall licks his palm and Hannibal does the same without thinking. "Randall, let him up. Let Hannibal come see himself."</p><p>Randall obeys, earning a gentle kiss between his ears. Hannibal rolls to his feet with a whine, wanting the same, and Will smiles and kisses him, too. He puts a hand in Hannibal's scruff and leads him over to a large shard of mirror glass behind the dragon skull. Will's own reflection doesn't show in it.</p><p>Hannibal isn't certain what he expected to see. He had thought, perhaps, that he would simply look like Randall, that there was some manifestation of wolf bloodlines that meant the bitten would resemble the wolf that turned them.</p><p>That is not the case.</p><p>Hannibal's fur is a dark reddish-brown, like iron when exposed to the elements for too long. He is rusted, with black accents along his ears, his feet, and his tail. He almost looks, he thinks with a small laugh, like a fox. His eyes are the same color they are when human, though he notes the color of his fur highlights the golden accents in them. They are not the same metallic sheen as Randall's, but noticeable.</p><p>He's also larger than Randall, thicker in the chest and tail, with a wider muzzle. He looks – <em>feels</em> – strong. Animal. <em>Alive</em>.</p><p>"You're beautiful," Will purrs, petting down his back. Hannibal turns and looks up at him, ears angled to the sound of his voice. Will kneels down and cups his muzzle, rubbing tenderly at the ache in his jaw. Randall rumbles quietly, visibly preening at the successful change. Hannibal turns at the sound, another pulse in his chest that he feels, realizes, is specifically attuned to Randall. Of course – the wolf that changed him.</p><p>He can understand a little better now, he thinks, why wolves are so loyal to the ones that changed them. Randall's pleasure feels like honey wine and fresh sunlight. Hannibal aches to earn more of it, and doesn't ever want to know what it would feel like to have Randall angry at him.</p><p>He licks Randall's muzzle, earning another quiet, pleased sound, another pulse of happiness as Randall rubs himself against Hannibal's flank. Will smiles, and stands. "I'll give you two some time alone," he murmurs. "I'll return shortly."</p><p>Hannibal whines, ears flattening.</p><p>Will considers him, expression unreadable. "I'll return shortly," he promises again, and kisses Hannibal's forehead. "The change will not last long, Hannibal, for the moon is not full. When you are human again, I will return, and we can discuss the nature of your service."</p><p>Hannibal settles, at that, and nods.</p><p>Will smiles, and disappears from sight, too quickly for Hannibal's eyes to follow. He blinks, licking his muzzle, and then Randall is on him again, purring happily, and nips at Hannibal's ear, tugging him along. Hannibal snaps his teeth together, considering the other wolf.</p><p>Will had said to follow his instincts. It would be good to listen to them.</p><p>He lets out another curious rumble, and tries to project his desire for Randall to stay still. Randall blinks at him, and settles, lashes low over his dark eyes as Hannibal licks between his ears, tasting wolf and Will and a faint hint of pine sap. Randall's tail wags slowly from side to side, so Hannibal licks him again, and again, behind his ears and into his thick fur.</p><p>Randall's thoughts flicker, turn dark as ale. Hannibal rubs his muzzle along the smaller wolf's back, breathing him in, pushing himself close. He reaches Randall's hips, sleek and narrow, nostrils flaring as he smells a similar scent that Alana wore. Arousal.</p><p>Randall's thoughts pulse again, as he begins to pant. He licks the base of Hannibal's tail and Hannibal tenses, shivering as sensation runs all the way up his spine. He rumbles curiously, trying to figure out what the urge might mean.</p><p>Randall does it again, and Hannibal's tail twitches. When he turns his head and nips at the base of Randall's tail, Randall yelps audibly, hips curling in severely enough that Hannibal stops, stepping away, whining in apology.</p><p>Randall nips his flank, panting, shaking his head. Hannibal can see his cock, thick and reddened and dripping, sliding out of his sheath. He rumbles curiously and Randall bites at him again, breathing hard, hackles raised. Hannibal licks his muzzle, shivering as he feels Randall's arousal sweep over him like a wave. It's warm and earnest and Hannibal likes how it feels.</p><p>Randall eyes him a moment longer, and then shakes himself vigorously. His wolf skin starts to melt from him and he crawls from it like the shell of an egg, breathing hard, flushed down to his chest. He goes to Hannibal and cups his muzzle, kissing his soft lips.</p><p>"Mount me," he commands.</p><p>Hannibal feels the order in his bones. His muzzle wrinkles as he snarls, and when Randall goes to his hands and knees and tilts his hips up, offering himself, he finds himself neither willing nor able to disobey. He licks between Randall's legs, over his balls and the soft skin and then his hole and Randall howls, sinking to his chest, stretching his arms out.</p><p>Hannibal snarls, feeling his own sheath part and his cock sliding free. It's a strange sensation, but an enjoyable one, like pushing into something already. Except the air is far too cool and not at all tight. Randall is warm, sweaty and eager. He whimpers so pretty when Hannibal steps over him, puts his paws on either side of his shoulders and licks over his red nape.</p><p>Randall sighs, turns his head and smiles, gripping Hannibal's ankles – wrists? He's not sure. "Slowly at first," he says. Hannibal nods, closing his eyes and rubbing his cheek against Randall's hair. He's never touched someone like this, let alone in a body that doesn't feel quite like his own yet.</p><p>Randall reaches back, wrapping his fingers around the slick girth of Hannibal's thick cock, and helps him position properly. Hannibal braces himself, hips curling down as Randall did when his tail was bitten, and pushes in.</p><p>Randall moans, so loud and sweet, closing his eyes and rising onto his elbows so he can push back at his own pace. Hannibal stays still to let him, panting, snarling at the hot, tight clench of Randall as he swallows Hannibal up. He had no idea it felt like this, no wonder people do it so often. Randall grips him like a glove, and Hannibal can only equate it to gutting a deer with how slick and warm he is.</p><p>But Randall is alive and moaning so prettily, it rings in Hannibal's ears and he can still feel the pulses of pleasure inside his own head. He whines, shaking, desperate to move as he licks plaintively over Randall's neck and shoulders.</p><p>Randall laughs, clenching around Hannibal so tightly his vision goes white. "<em>Fuck</em>, yes, Hannibal. You can move, go ahead."</p><p>Hannibal needs no further encouragement. He snarls and shoves himself in, rutting viciously against Randall's ass before pulling back and fucking in again. Randall stinks of him, of his own bloodline, like they were made for each other. Randall stretches his arms out again, lowering his chest so Hannibal can fuck him <em>deep</em>, and oh, he <em>likes </em>that. Whenever Hannibal hits a sensitive spot the pulse of Randall's consciousness flares like sunrise, so Hannibal grunts and fucks him just like he likes, as hard as he's able.</p><p>He smells Will before he sees him, and whines at the gentle touch to one of his ears. Will comes into view, and he sits by Randall's head, petting him as well as Randall writhes and moans beneath him.</p><p>"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," he says with a smile. He takes Randall's chin and makes their eyes meet. "Does he feel good, my sweet boy?"</p><p>"<em>Yes</em>," Randall groans, clawing at the stone floor. Hannibal purrs in pleasure at doing well.</p><p>Will hums, and smiles at Hannibal. "Something to look forward to, then."</p><p>The spike of arousal is so sudden and shocking, and Hannibal isn't sure if it's his, or Randall's, or a mix of both. But it's, suddenly, too much for him. He whines and shoves into Randall and suddenly can't pull back out. His cock is stuck, squeezed by the other man's tight body, locked inside him.</p><p>Randall reaches back, suddenly. "It's just your knot, baby, don't pull out, it's okay."</p><p>Will laughs. "It's been so long since we've had a new one, I forgot to warn him."</p><p>Hannibal's ears flatten in confusion, but he stops trying to pull out. Randall trembles beneath him and Hannibal whines, leaning down as his arousal starts to settle. He doesn't want that – it felt so good when he was riding Randall like waves. He grinds his knot as deep as he can and feels another subtle rise, and purrs, doing it again, and again, rubbing his teeth against Randall's shoulder as Randall starts to let out breathless little whimpers.</p><p>Will puts a hand on Hannibal's shoulder, leaning in, and Hannibal closes his eyes and eagerly bares his neck when Will bites him, the rush of Will's venom and his gentle presence more than welcome in Hannibal's mind.</p><p>He hears Will's laughter. <em>You haven't finished</em>.</p><p>Hannibal grunts. <em>Neither has he</em>.</p><p>Will pauses at that, curious. Absently, he feels Will reach below Randall's body and wrap around his hard cock, stroking slowly. Randall's pleasure, his breathless cries, echo in Hannibal's head, combined with the sweet arousal of Will's bite, and then Will's presence as well floods him, fills him to bursting. Hannibal trembles, rutting feverishly into Randall, the clench of his tight muscles and how he's little more than a whimpering mess now, it's <em>so </em>good.</p><p><em>I'll do this for you whenever you ask me, </em>Hannibal promises Will. <em>I want you to feel this good</em>.</p><p>Will smiles, withdrawing his teeth, and rests his forehead against Hannibal's cheek. He's breathing hard too, though Hannibal is sure he doesn't need to.</p><p>"Come, Randall," he says, with the same powerful command Randall used on Hannibal.</p><p>Randall squeezes Hannibal's knot so tightly, writhing and locked, and obeys instantly. The sudden blinding surge of pleasure and release is enough for Hannibal to follow along after, knot pulsing as it's squeezed by Randall's inner muscles. He feels his cock pooling in his own warm, thick come, feels it flood up against his knot, but there's nowhere for it to go but <em>deep</em>, slicking Randall's insides.</p><p>Hannibal snarls loudly, and bites down on Randall's shoulder, making him howl and tremble and another wave of pleasure surge through both of them. Randall's blood tastes like fresh berries and honey, so sweet. Hannibal laps at it, and then at Will's come-slick fingers when Will offers him those as well.</p><p>Will smiles, and cups Hannibal's muzzle. "Lie down. Slowly, on your side," he says. Hannibal obeys, careful not to crush Randall. Randall curls up against him, resting on one of Hannibal's forelegs as Will brings him a skin and tucks it beneath him, and then around him, to keep him warm. He meets Hannibal's eyes and smiles. "You did so wonderfully, Hannibal, I'm so proud of you."</p><p>Hannibal rumbles, wrapping himself around Randall, tail thumping against the floor.</p><p>"Master," Randall says weakly, reaching out to Will. "Let us -."</p><p>"No, my love," Will says, kneeling down and kissing Randall chastely. "I must go prepare Hannibal's test. Let him keep you warm and sated. You have more than earned it."</p><p>Randall sighs, and Hannibal purrs, feeling how settled and full of love he is when Will touches him. Will leaves again, and Randall tilts his head up, smiling, and touches Hannibal's face. "You're the first wolf I've turned," he says.</p><p>Hannibal blinks, surprised.</p><p>"You did so well," he continues. "I'm sure you have questions. You should change back soon, and I can answer them all."</p><p>Hannibal nods, and rumbles contentedly, tightening his forelegs around Randall's body as they settle down to rest.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When Hannibal wakes, he's a human again, wrapping up with Randall in the wolf skin. He stirs, sated and sore and covered in viscera and clinging remnants of his wolf's body. He feels a tug on his cheek and opens his eyes to see Randall peeling off a spare strip of fur with a small grimace.</p><p>Randall meets his eyes, and smiles, cupping Hannibal's face and kissing him. Hannibal answers him in kind, his chest warm and head full of Randall's gentle pulses of affection. "The master was so pleased with you," he says. "He visited me in my dreams."</p><p>"You dream of him?" Hannibal replies, his throat sore from snarling so much.</p><p>Randall nods, eyes dreamy and soft. "Often," he says. "You will too, if you pass this test. Only wolves that serve him like I do – like you hope to – walk with him in their dreams."</p><p>Hannibal nods, anticipation making him tighten his arms around Randall at the notion of the test. He sighs, rubbing their foreheads together when the urge rises. "I want to be his," he says, "but now that I've felt it, I can understand why so many fail. And if I fail, you are far more than a mere consolation prize, my friend."</p><p>Randall laughs. "I have more faith in you than I've had in others, but perhaps that is because it was my bite that changed you."</p><p>At the reminder, Hannibal huffs. "I would have appreciated a warning about the…knot."</p><p>"We haven't had to turn a wolf in a very long time," Randall says, and Hannibal nods, remembering Will's words on the same.</p><p>"…What does it feel like, on the inside?" he asks.</p><p>Randall hums. "I don't know if I could compare it to anything you've felt before," he says quietly. "Have you ever taken anything inside you?"</p><p>"I've never done any of it until today," Hannibal replies. He feels no shame in that.</p><p>Randall blinks at him, surprised, and then understanding. "Because you've always loved the master," he sighs, and Hannibal nods. "I was the same. A nervous virgin boy on the steps of the castle, knowing only that I loved the man inside it more than anything in the world."</p><p>"You are natural-born," Hannibal says, and Randall nods. "You never felt any lure back to your family? Your…pack?" He hesitates on the word.</p><p>Randall shakes his head. "Not once," he replies. "My pack was kind, my father stern but fair – I will never say a bad word about him. But when I first saw the master, I went against his wishes and came to him. Will saw this, in my thoughts; that is why I was never tested. I had already passed, simply by being there."</p><p>"I hope I will make both of you proud," Hannibal murmurs.</p><p>Randall smiles, and nuzzles him. "You will," he says, with certainty. "You have." He shivers, arching closer, biting his lower lip as Hannibal, again, doesn't resist the urge to nose at his neck, to prowl over him and lick the welts his teeth left behind. Randall breathes in, moaning gently as Hannibal's hand slides down to test his entrance, finds it puffy and warm and still slick. "Hannibal -."</p><p>"Forgive me," Hannibal says, even as he pushes two fingers inside. "The instinct to please you is -."</p><p>"I know," Randall says, nodding. He licks Hannibal's neck and bites down gently over his Adam's apple. Hannibal shudders, his cock hardening and rutting against Randall's thickening erection. He closes his eyes as he feels Randall's affection and pleasure rut against his mind like they are wolves again, sharing warmth.</p><p>Randall lifts one of his legs, high on Hannibal's hip, giving him room to pull his fingers out, slick up his cock, and sink back inside with a low snarl. He holds Randall tightly as the other wolf embraces him, claws sharp in Hannibal's back as Hannibal fucks in, relishing how tight and wet he still is.</p><p>Randall pushes at Hannibal's shoulders, rolling him to his back, and sinks down heavy on his cock. His cheeks and chest are flushed, head tipped back as he moans, riding Hannibal fiercely, his ass tight and wet and his thighs tense with strain. He braces himself on Hannibal's chest, rutting hard, a snarl stuck in his throat as he selfishly chases his orgasm.</p><p>The doors open, and they both turn to look as Will enters, walking at a mortal pace. Yet his presence fills Hannibal with fire, and he clenches his fingers tightly in Randall's hips, fucking up into him as Will approaches, a smile on his face. Randall whimpers as Will cups his throat, and Will steps over Hannibal's legs, standing behind Randall so Will can watch both of them.</p><p>"Insatiable," he purrs, bowing down to kiss Randall's cheek. "And you tease me about it."</p><p>"New wolf," Randall gasps, looking up at Will as Will straightens. "His -. His <em>mind</em>, Will…."</p><p>"I know," Will murmurs, meeting Hannibal's eyes. Hannibal clenches his jaw, growling at the heat in his dark blue iris. Randall whimpers helplessly, fisting his cock as he fucks himself on Hannibal desperately. He's close, Hannibal can smell, feel, how close he is. "You're both so beautiful," Will sighs. "My perfect boys."</p><p>Randall whimpers, leaning into the hand on his throat as he tightens up and comes all over his fingers and Hannibal's belly. As before, the wave of relief strikes Hannibal deeply and he moans, clawing deep lines into Randall's thighs as he follows a second after, slicking him up again. No knot, this time, as Randall keeps riding him, drawing it out for both of them.</p><p>Will smiles, and turns, his erection visible inside his clothes. "Open your mouth, sweetheart," he purrs to Randall, who obeys, taking Will's cock when Will frees it and pushes deep into his mouth. He whines as Will cups his skull, growling softly, upper lip curling back to show his large fangs.</p><p>Hannibal feels Randall's satisfaction as Will comes in his mouth, watches ravenously as it drips from Randall's red lips. He rears up as Will withdraws and tucks himself back in, licking the excess from his chin. It tastes like his venom, icy and thin on his tongue.</p><p>Randall smiles, and kisses Hannibal, finally going still on his sensitive cock. He pushes himself off, a thick gush of come following Hannibal's cock as he withdraws, and Hannibal shivers.</p><p>"Is everything ready?" Randall asks, settling down beside Hannibal as Hannibal nuzzles him.</p><p>"Yes," Will replies with a smile. He holds out his hands, letting each of them take one, and pulls them to their feet. Hannibal is shaky, and leans against Will, a rumble in his chest as he puts his nose to Will's neck and paws at his hips. He understands, dimly, that he will not be able to mount Will until he has taken this test, until Will knows in what manner Hannibal is capable of serving him.</p><p>Still, he aches awfully, and hopes soon he will be able to serve Will as Randall does. He has never wanted anything more in his life.</p><p>"What is the test?" he asks.</p><p>Will smiles at him, and cups his face, kissing him chastely. He takes their hands and leads them out of the room. Before, the cold air made Hannibal shiver and cling to his cloak, but now he has a wolf's fur and strength, and even the chilly breeze outside does not bother him.</p><p>"The forest is vast," Will tells him, as they walk through the courtyard and to the gates. The wolves that reside here are gathered, grinning at Hannibal in welcome. He does not see Alana among them, and hopes she was able to find her mate. "You are free to roam all of it, but you must not reveal yourself to any traveler or human, for fear of being recognized."</p><p>Hannibal nods.</p><p>Will leads them through the gates and to the other side, where Hannibal can see the path he traveled, what feels like a lifetime ago.</p><p>"You know that, at this moment, your loyalties are split, and undecided," Will says. Hannibal nods again, as Will releases them both, and he and Randall stand in front of Hannibal. Hannibal knows he will not fail, one way or the other. Either way, he will be loved and taken care of. He will be Randall's, or Will's.</p><p>"The full moon is tonight," Will says. Hannibal looks up, though it is still day, and he cannot see it. "You will wander the forest as a wolf, when it is time. The task is simple."</p><p>Hannibal meets his eyes.</p><p>"I would like you to hunt for me," Will says, smiling. "You will bring back a deer, fresh-slaughtered by your own ability. It will be easiest for you during the moon, but you can take all the time you need."</p><p>Hannibal nods, pressing his lips together.</p><p>"I would like you to hunt for me," Randall says. "You will bring back three rabbits, skinned and ready to be cooked."</p><p>Hannibal frowns.</p><p>Then, he understands.</p><p>Two similar, but separate challenges. Depending on what Hannibal is more compelled to hunt, and what he brings back, his loyalties will be clear.</p><p>"Do you understand?" Will asks.</p><p>"I do," Hannibal murmurs.</p><p>Will smiles, and approaches him, kissing his forehead. "Good luck, darling," he purrs. Hannibal shivers, and swallows as Randall takes him, and kisses him as well, licking deep into his mouth.</p><p>"Good luck," he says.</p><p>Hannibal rolls his shoulders, his task set. He walks between them, down the path. He turns back to see them both smiling at him, fingers laced. He knows he will not fail. He smiles, and enters the forest, and shivers when he no longer feels their eyes on the back of his neck.</p>
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